Southern Art Restaurant in Atlanta: A Modern Take on Classic Southern Dining

Walk into Southern Art Restaurant in Atlanta, and it feels a bit like stepping into someone’s elegant Southern home—if that home also happened to be connected to a luxury hotel and a bustling city. Between the fried chicken, bourbon, and dessert displays, the restaurant has become a recognizable name for travelers and locals who are curious about a more polished version of Southern comfort food.

This guide explores what to expect at Southern Art, how it fits into Atlanta’s dining landscape, and how to get the most out of a visit, whether you’re staying in the hotel above it or just dropping in for a meal.

What Makes Southern Art Restaurant Stand Out?

Southern Art Restaurant is located inside a major hotel in the Buckhead/Midtown corridor of Atlanta, one of the city’s busiest and most developed areas. It is generally known for:

• Refined Southern cuisine: Classic dishes like fried chicken, biscuits, shrimp and grits, and seasonal sides.
• Hotel restaurant convenience: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner options for hotel guests and visitors.
• Stylish atmosphere: A setting that blends traditional Southern decor with modern hotel design.
• Bourbon and charcuterie focus: A bar program that often highlights bourbon and Southern-influenced cocktails, sometimes paired with cured meats and cheese boards.

Rather than being a casual, hole‑in‑the‑wall spot, Southern Art tends to lean into upscale comfort food—familiar flavors in a more elevated environment.

Atmosphere, Location, and Setting

Inside a Major Atlanta Hotel

Southern Art sits just off the hotel lobby, offering:

• Easy access for hotel guests
• Valet parking through the hotel
• A space that can work for:
  • Business meals
  • Pre- or post-event dining
  • Family gatherings
  • Solo travelers looking for a comfortable, public setting

Because of its hotel setting, the restaurant often attracts a mix of business travelers, convention attendees, and visiting families, alongside local diners.

Design and Ambience

The interior usually reflects:

• Warm, inviting tones with polished finishes
• Art and decor that nod to Southern culture, hospitality, or local themes
• A layout that can include:
  • A bar and lounge area
  • Main dining room seating
  • Sometimes semi-private or private areas for groups

The overall feel tends to be relaxed but polished—not overly formal, but more refined than a casual neighborhood café.

The Food: Southern Comfort with a Contemporary Touch

Southern Art’s menu generally centers around Southern-inspired dishes with some modern or seasonal influences.

Signature Southern Dishes

Many guests look for familiar regional favorites such as:

• Buttermilk fried chicken
• Shrimp and grits with rich, savory sauces
• Biscuits or cornbread, often served with butter, jams, or spreads
• Collard greens, mac and cheese, and other sides traditional to the South
• Pies, cakes, or cobblers for dessert, sometimes displayed or highlighted as specialties

The approach is typically to elevate familiar recipes—using hotel-restaurant plating and presentation—while keeping the flavors recognizable and comforting.

Breakfast and Brunch

As part of a hotel operation, Southern Art commonly offers:

• Hearty breakfast plates (eggs, bacon, grits, biscuits, pancakes)
• Buffet or semi-buffet experiences at certain times, depending on the hotel’s schedule
• Brunch-style dishes on weekends, which can include:
  • Chicken and waffles
  • Omelets or egg dishes with Southern sides
  • Pastries and baked goods

Brunch often draws both hotel guests and Atlanta locals who are exploring the area or looking for a destination meal.

Lunch and Dinner

Lunch usually balances lighter hotel-friendly options with Southern staples:

• Salads with regional touches (fried chicken salad, seasonal vegetables)
• Sandwiches and burgers with Southern flavors (pimento cheese, pickles, house sauces)
• Lighter entrees alongside more indulgent options

Dinner tends to lean into larger plates and shareable sides:

• Seafood specialties, sometimes with Lowcountry influences
• Steaks or pork dishes with Southern seasonings or accompaniments
• Family-style sides like mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetables, or skillet-style dishes

The menu typically changes over time, reflecting the restaurant’s evolution, ingredient availability, and chef direction.

Drinks, Bourbon, and the Bar

Southern Art often pairs its food with a robust bar program, especially focused on:

• Bourbon and whiskey selections
• Classic Southern cocktails (such as juleps or bourbon-based drinks)
• Wine and beer chosen to suit both business and leisure diners

Guests can:

• Sit at the bar for a more casual experience
• Order small bites or bar snacks, where offered
• Sample different bourbons or cocktails that highlight Southern spirits

This makes the bar area useful for after-work drinks, pre-dinner cocktails, or a laid-back solo visit.

Service and Dining Experience

What Guests Commonly Notice

General patterns in guest impressions of hotel restaurants like Southern Art often touch on:

• Professional service: Staff are typically trained for both local diners and international travelers.
• Consistency focus: Menus and processes are structured to serve hotel guests throughout the day.
• Timing considerations: Peak times can coincide with:
  • Conference schedules
  • Hotel event times
  • Weekend brunch crowds

Because of the hotel setting, diners often mention that service is designed around reliability and flexibility, with attention to travelers’ varying schedules.

Who Southern Art Tends to Suit

Southern Art can work well for:

• Travelers staying in the hotel who want convenient access to Southern-style food.
• Business dinners or lunches where a professional yet relaxed environment is useful.
• Visitors to Atlanta looking for a single-stop introduction to Southern flavors.
• Locals in the area who want an upscale but comfortable meal with Southern influences.

Practical Tips for Visiting Southern Art in Atlanta

Here are some general, practical insights that many diners find helpful when planning a visit.

When to Go

• Weekday breakfast: Often quieter and convenient for hotel guests or nearby workers.
• Weekend brunch: Can be one of the more popular times, especially for groups or families.
• Dinner: Commonly used for hotel events, date nights, or business meals in the area.

Timing can influence the noise level, wait times, and overall pace of the meal.

What to Expect Price-Wise

As a restaurant attached to a higher-end hotel, Southern Art typically aligns with:

• Moderate-to-upscale pricing compared with casual neighborhood diners.
• Menu prices that reflect:
  • Downtown/Buckhead hotel location
  • Restaurant design and ambiance
  • Ingredients and preparation style

This makes it well-suited for occasional meals, expense-account dining, or special visits rather than an everyday budget option for most people.

Quick Reference: Southern Art Restaurant at a Glance

Here is a simple overview of what diners generally encounter at Southern Art:

👍 Simple Planning Tips for Diners

A few practical points many visitors consider before choosing Southern Art:

• 🕒 Check operating hours: Hotel restaurants can adjust service times based on season, occupancy, and events.
• 🍽️ Look over the current menu in advance so you know whether you’re in the mood for fried chicken, seafood, or lighter fare.
• 🥂 Decide if you want bar or dining room seating:
  • Bar = more casual, good for solo diners and drinks
  • Dining room = better for groups, business, or special occasions
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Consider group needs: Families often appreciate Southern staples that are easy for a range of ages to enjoy.
• 🚗 Plan your parking or transport: Valet, rideshare, or public transit in busy areas can influence timing.

How Southern Art Fits into Atlanta’s Southern Food Scene

Atlanta has a wide variety of Southern and Southern-influenced restaurants, from:

• Casual diners and meat-and-threes
• Trendy neighborhood spots
• Fine-dining, chef-driven restaurants
• Hotel-based dining rooms like Southern Art

Within this range, Southern Art tends to occupy the niche of high-comfort, hotel-based Southern dining—a convenient option where travelers and locals can experience familiar regional flavors in a polished environment, without needing to travel far from the city’s main business and shopping areas.

For visitors who want a single, accessible introduction to Southern cuisine while staying in or near a major Atlanta hotel, Southern Art often serves as a straightforward, recognizable choice.

In a city known for its food culture, Southern Art Restaurant in Atlanta offers a version of the Southern table that’s shaped as much by its hotel setting as by its menu. For many diners, that combination—comfort food, thoughtful atmosphere, and convenience—makes it a useful and memorable stop on an Atlanta itinerary.